


Knowledge

by Angelwithwingsoffire



Series: 30 Days of Writing [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, tw child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-10 05:14:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3278105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelwithwingsoffire/pseuds/Angelwithwingsoffire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where marks appear on your skin if your soulmate gets hurt, Derek has known for years that his soulmate gets hurt a lot. But it's not bruises and scrapes that you get from being a klutz. These bruises look too much like hands, those ones look took much like a ring, and the cuts on his body are too straight and even to be an accident. And it hurts him far more than physically. He's a werewolf. He should be able to protect his mate. But he can't. Or maybe he can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Knowledge

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this](http://perfectalphadouchebag.tumblr.com/post/104126211189/anabelsbrother-cahrroty-istumogra) soulmate AU idea.

Derek was scared. He was terrified. But it wasn’t fear for him. It was fear for his soulmate.

Everyone has one and everyone is connected to theirs at birth. And whenever your soulmate gets hurt, you get a mark on your skin in the same place. Most werewolves have werewolf soulmates so they don’t have to worry about the marks for long because their soulmate heals so much faster, but Derek knows his soulmate is human. Whenever he gets a mark, it lasts for a few weeks before fading away. And normally, that isn’t scary, but Derek’s scared all the same. Because there are a lot of marks. A _lot_. And he knows that some of them can’t be from accidents. There’s circle on Derek’s left forearm that hasn’t faded in the three months since it showed up that looks like the exact size of a cigarette butt. There’s a line on the back of his right shoulder that’s too straight and even to be an accident. There’s bruises that show up everywhere that look like hands slapped across his skin and ones that show up on his face that look like the outline of a ring. But there are only two sets of scar marks that pissed Derek off so much his mother had to alpha roar him into submission after they appeared. There’s a set of straight, even lines across his wrists that showed up all at once, like his soulmate was trying to kill themselves. And Derek was pissed when he saw them because only a week before, the other set had appeared. Written on the top of Derek’s right forearm was the word Worthless. That’s when Derek had known that his soulmate wasn’t some boxer out there fighting for his career. His soulmate was being abused. And his wolf was not happy.

That was two months ago and Derek had gone to the police. He’d shown them all the evidence and they’d agreed with him that his soulmate was being abused. But they couldn’t do anything because he didn’t know who his soulmate was and without that crucial information, there was nothing they could do except document it all and leave it alone. Derek tried, and failed, to do the same.

“You okay bro?”

Derek looked up from where he was tracing the lines on his left wrist and staring at the word on his right. “No.”

Laura sighed, coming over to sit next to her brother. Derek didn’t even attempt to resist when she pulled him into her chest for a hug. That’s how she knew it was really bad. “You know there’s nothing to do.”

“I know.” Derek choked out. The tears he’d been holding off for a long time were pushing through now that someone was there to talk to. Talking about it always made it more real, always made it harder. “That’s what makes it hurt so much.”

Laura sighed, holding back tears of her own. She hated seeing her baby brother hurt so much. “You checked at the hospitals again?”

Derek nodded against her chest. “No one’s come in with that fucking word carved into their arm.”

“You’ll find them.” Laura whispered. “Everyone does.”

“I just don’t want them to hurt anymore.”

“I know baby bro. I know.”

Laura held Derek tight as the tears broke free and started flowing. She didn’t even bother wiping her own away, just kept her arms tight around her brother and wished that wolves could take emotional pain as well as physical. Because her brother was in pain. And she hated that she couldn’t do anything about it.

*

Derek decided to go for a walk, not wanting to be in the house anymore. His sister offered to go for a run with him but he told her no, he was going to walk in town as a human. He ended up in a part of town he didn’t recognize but snorted when he looked around as there were rich houses on one side and middle-class houses on the other and he found it funny that people could live that close to each other and still not care.

He dropped onto a bus stop bench with a sigh. He felt like there was a weight pressing down on him mostly consisting of guilt because he knew everything his soulmate was being put through and yet he could do nothing to stop it. Sometimes he wished he didn’t know what was happening to his soulmate, just so he wouldn’t feel terrified every single day that someone on the news was going to say that they were found dead somewhere with worthless written on their arm and the idea in their head that the word actually applies to them. But most of them time he knows that him having there marks is going to be what one day helps him find them and get them out whatever their situation is and into a place where they are safe and loved instead of beaten and abused. And just as Derek got back to his feet, deciding that he should probably start figuring his way home, he heard a scream.

Derek didn’t hesitate. He could hear the pain and fear in the scream and he might not be able to save his soulmate but he sure as hell was going to save whoever was screaming.

He raced towards the source, honing in on it in the short bursts of sound that got out before it was cut off entirely. He listened for the next scream but when it didn’t come, he just breathed deep and focused, letting his instincts tell him where it was coming from and he raced towards it. He burst into the house and he snarled at the smell of blood and pain that hit him. He could feel more marks burning into his body but for once he ignored his soulmate as he heard scuffling in the basement and he raced down to help.

He found a father shoving a teenaged boy to the ground next to broken freezer and Derek didn’t have to be a werewolf to see the blood inside it. The man had a huge wrench in his hand, raised to hit the boy, when Derek stormed in.

The man turned on him with a shout and Derek snarled. The man only backed off for a second before charging forward. Derek could smell the whiskey on his breath altering his ability to decide the logical thing, so he played nice. Almost. The man swung the wrench at Derek and the wolf caught it with ease, ripping it from the man’s grip and pushing him back.

“This isn’t your place!” The man shouted. “This is my house!” The man reached to a nearby shelf and picked up a gun. Derek could smell the gunpowder of the bullets inside but they weren’t wolfsbane bullets and the man seemed too drunk to aim properly with the way the gun was moving. Derek wasn’t worried about getting shot. He was worried about the boy who looked unconscious and there was a pool of blood under his head.

“You won’t shoot me.” Derek smiled, faking calmness. At least marks had stopped burning in his skin. His soulmate’s abuser must be done for the night. “That’d be murder.”

“It ain’t murder if you broke into my house you fucker.” The man spat.

Derek bit his tongue and he nearly sighed in relief when he heard sirens. Cops were coming. All he had to do was stall. “I followed the sounds of screaming. Probable cause.”

“That only works for cops idiot.”

Derek smiled. “What jury would convict me of trespassing when your son was screaming because you were hitting him with a wrench?”

The man snarled and Derek had to wonder if he was raised amongst wolves with the animalistic quality of it. “They won’t know if you don’t tell them.”

“And why wouldn’t I tell them?” Derek asked, hearing the police outside. The man didn’t seem to have heard them yet.

“Because you’re going to be dead.” The man sneered, raising his gun. Derek moved to the side in the instant he fired, the bullet gouging into his shoulder. He could hear the cops freaking out upstairs and storming into the house. Without thinking he moved forward, pushing the man out of the way and crouched in front of the boy, eyes glowing and teeth bared. He wasn’t going to risk the father taking his son as a hostage.

The police came charging downstairs, guns drawn. Derek snarled when he scented another beta amongst the group. The beta’s eyes flashed back at him as the man stared. He let the others take care of the father, and walked over slowly, stopping when Derek snarled again.

“Who’s your alpha?” He asked softly.

“Hale.” Derek told him. “I’m Derek Hale.”

The beta tensed again but nodded. “Will you let the EMT’s take care of him?”

Derek looked down at the boy before nodding slowly.

The man smiled a little and reached to his radio. “I need EMT’s in the basement immediately. Humans only.”

Derek watched the man back up and go upstairs before the EMT’s came down. Derek relaxed a little and his fangs withdrew as the EMT’s approached slowly.

“Can we take care of him?” The one in front asked. Derek recognized him as Jacob, one of the crew that had come out to the house when Derek’s human brother Max fell and cut his head. He was okay. He could be trusted.

Derek stared at them all for a moment before nodding slowly and moving out of their way. He watched carefully as they took care of him.

“We need to take him to the hospital.” The crew chief told him. “Would you like to come with?”

Derek nodded quickly. He didn’t know why but he needed to make sure the boy was safe.

“Come then.” The man told him.

Derek hurried to their side, watching carefully as they carried the boy up the stairs on their stretcher. When they got to the top of the stairs they set him down on the gurney and started wheeling him out. Derek hurried to keep up, keeping his eyes on the boy’s face.

“Derek!” He heard as they left the house.

His head shot up at his mom’s voice. Talia was there in an instant.

“Derek what happened?!” Talia demanded. “Oh my god you got shot!”

“I gotta stay with him.” Derek whispered, trying to keep following the EMT’s with the boy.

“What?” Talia asked.

“Him.” Derek said. “Gotta stay with him. I gotta keep him safe.”

Talia’s eyes went wide. “Okay. The EMT’s said you could ride along?”

Derek nodded.

“Okay go with them and make sure to get your shoulder looked at. We’ll meet you at the hospital. Okay?”

Derek nodded again.

“Go then.” Talia said, releasing him. He immediately ran to the ambulance and the EMT’s let him get in and sit by the gurney.

“We need to look at your shoulder.” One whispered.

Derek turned towards her but kept his eyes on the boy.

“His name’s Isaac.” The other EMT told him.

Derek looked up at him.

The EMT smiled. “You probably didn’t know it seeing as you just stumbled upon the situation.”

“I wanted to kill his father.” Derek whispered.

The EMT’s stiffened.

“Well it’s a good thing you didn’t.” The female smiled. “And the wound is clean but the bullet needs to be removed at the hospital so it can heal.”

Derek nodded. “Okay.”

*

Two hours later found Talia Hale bursting into the ICU’s waiting room to find her son pacing across the floor looking worried sick.

“Are you okay?” She demanded, striding forward. Family first.

Derek nodded. “He’s getting blood transfusion and staples and stitches.” Derek told her. “They said he gashed open his head really bad and lost a lot of blood. They also said he had to have fallen down the stairs for a set of injuries like this.

“Or he was pushed.” Talia whispered.

“He _was_ pushed.” Derek said. He knew it to be true.

“Is he-?” Talia started to ask before a doctor walked in.

“I assume you’re Derek.” The doctor smiled as he walked over.

Derek nodded.

“I’m Dr. Shivlan. I’m taking care of Isaac here.”

“Is okay?” Derek demanded, immediately worried.

“He’s fine.” Dr. Shivlan assured him. “He just came from surgery and he’s still asleep but he’s stabilizing.”

“Can I see him?” Derek demanded. “I need to see him. I need to see he’s okay.”

“I’m sorry only family are allowed into the rooms.”

“Please.” Derek begged.

“We’re werewolves.” Talia cut in.

“Are either of you his mate then?” Dr. Shivlan asked.

“On his arm, is there a word written? As a scar?” Talia asked.

Dr. Shivlan nodded slowly. “It says worthless. Another piece of evidence that he was being abused by his father.”

Derek didn’t hear anything past ‘worthless’. He’d done it. He’d found his soulmate. He was dazed as he felt his mother raise his arm and push up his sleeve, showing his matching scar to the doctor.

“I’ll take you both back immediately.” Dr. Shivlan smiled.

“Come on Derek.” Talia whispered. “We’re going to see Isaac.”

Derek rushed forward, catching that he’d get to see Isaac. He’s going to get to see his soulmate. And his soulmate’s okay now. They’re all okay now.

He was still dazed when they got to the room but when they walked in Derek whimpered as the scent hit him. It had been covered by the smell of blood and rusted metal before but now it was there, overlaid with blood, medicine, antiseptic, and other hospital smells. Isaac. Derek wanted to bury his face in Isaac’s neck and just breathe in his scent. It smelled like home. Talia’s hand on his arm kept him grounded.

“It’s him.” Derek gasped.

Talia smiled. “Come sit down then.” She guided him to the chair by the bed and put Isaac’s hand in Derek’s when her son was too scared of hurting Isaac to do so himself.

“I have to go call the others.” Talia whispered. “I’ll be right outside.”

Derek nodded, staring at Isaac’s face.

Talia smiled at her son before leaving. She was dialing their house when she heard Derek whisper the words that made her heart hurt.

“It’s okay now. We’ve got you.” Derek whispered. “He’s not going to hurt anymore. We won’t let him.”

And she couldn’t help but smile and hold back tears. Because Derek was right. Isaac was Derek’s soulmate. And that made Isaac pack. And that means Derek had the full right to break into the Lahey house and he could’ve killed that vile man for what he was doing. He probably wanted to kill him anyways. But her son hadn’t, and she was so proud of him for that, but now she was going to do everything in her power to put that monstrous man away for the rest of his life in the worst prison she can get him to sent to because he harmed her pack. That man harmed her son and her son’s soulmate for so many years she’d started crying at night because of how broken her baby boy looked every single day. She’d watched her son trace those scars on his skin for months, watched him hold back the tears during the day and then let them go with screams at night when the burning started and more marks appeared. That man hurt her family and she was safe in the knowledge that she could ask anything of the law and they would give it to her because child abuse is bad enough to get you locked away, but abusing a son that was automatically given the right to the protection of one of the strongest packs in the United States, well that can get you killed. And that vile, monstrous, disgusting, slime-ball of a man should’ve known better than to carve into his son’s skin where his soulmate could see it.

*

After Isaac woke up, Derek and Talia told him what happened and the doctor explained what was what with his body. But Isaac didn’t pay much attention to the doctor as he just kept staring at Derek. His soulmate. He actually had a soulmate. When the doctor left, Isaac squeezed Derek’s hand a little to get his attention.

“Are you alright?” Derek asked, instantly worried.

Isaac nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Derek’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and Isaac’s heart buzzed happily. His soulmate was adorable.

“The marks.” Isaac whispered. “Dad warned me over and over that one day I’d earn something that would scar and my soulmate would have to deal with it on their skin forever and I always tried my hardest to do good and not earn it but he got drunk and he got mad and I couldn’t do anything right and he just-” Isaac’s voice cracked. “He just pinned me down and I couldn’t get away and he took out his knife and-” Isaac dissolved into tears and Derek jumped forward to hug Isaac as gently as he could.

“It’s not your fault.” Derek whispered. “It’s his. All of it’s his fault. None of it’s yours.”

“You wouldn’t be scarred if I wasn’t such a bad son.” Isaac whimpered.

“Isaac I want you to know that it doesn’t matter how bad of a son you were,” Talia spoke softly. “Which judging by what I’ve heard you weren’t, no father should _ever_ hurt their child like that. And we are going to do everything in our power to make him go away forever for what he did to you.”

“What if he comes back?” Isaac asked.

Derek pulled away to look down at Isaac. “You’re mine. And I’m yours. That makes you pack. And that fact alone should keep him away from you. And if it doesn’t, the know this: Pack protects. There’s a place in this family if you want it and we will keep you safe. Not only from your dad, but from everyone.”

Isaac nodded. “I’d like that.”

Derek smiled. “Okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Come chat with me on [tumblr](http://perfectalphadouchebag.tumblr.com/)!  
> Also there is now a second part of this over on [Day 12](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3342839/) of this 30 Day Challenge.


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